Connecticut hearing planned on Metro-North power outage

BRIDGEPORT — A U.S. Senate subcommittee is holding a field hearing in Bridgeport on the recent power failure that disrupted service along the Metro-North Railroad last month.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is scheduled to lead Monday's meeting of the subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. The hearing will focus on the causes of the outage, how to prevent such failures from happening again and the economic impact of such a major disruption.

On Sept. 25, a failed electrical circuit cut power to part of the New Haven Line, forcing the railroad to reduce rail service by half. The disruption lasted 12 days.

ConEdison President Craig Ivey, MTA Metro-North Railroad President Howard Permut and Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker (REHD'-eh-kur) are expected to testify.